Emily Martin of Iroquois steals second ahead of the tag by Madison Ickes of Claysburg-Kimmel in the PIAA Class A playoff softball game at Slippery Rock University on June 5. JACK HANRAHAN/ERIE TIMES-NEWS

SLIPPERY ROCK -- With one swing of the bat Thursday afternoon, Alli Kaliszewski gave Iroquois a quick one-run lead in the first inning.

Then Claysburg-Kimmel pitcher Kiersten Coho got serious.

After allowing an early run and pitching out of a jam in the second inning, Coho retired the final 16 batters she faced to lead Claysburg to a 6-1 win over Iroquois in a PIAA Class A softball quarterfinal in front of 300 fans at Slippery Rock University.

"(Coho) looked a little stunned in the beginning of the game but kept getting stronger and stronger as the game went on," said Iroquois coach Julie Parker. "She was spinning and changing speeds and we couldn't get on her pitches. We just didn't have the bats (Thursday). She's a good pitcher and that's what it comes down to. She came to play and I don't think we've been two-hit this season."

Claysburg (21-4) moves on to play powerhouse Neshannock on Monday in the PIAA semifinals at a site and time to be determined.

Emily Martin started the game by drawing a rare walk from Coho before stealing second base for Iroquois (14-7). After two quick outs, Kaliszewski ripped a double to right-center to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

Iroquois then had two runners on in the second inning as Claire Buzard was hit by a pitch and Lena Donnelly reached on an infield single. That would be it for the Braves the rest of the game, though, as Coho recorded 16 straight outs, including three strikeouts, and finished with five strikeouts total.

"Kiersten is a veteran pitcher and she's going to pitch at Hartford," said Claysburg coach Mike Barbarini, a Harborcreek native. "She settled down and hit her spots a little better. Her speed was down a little and she's pitched a lot of innings this year. I think she's a little tired and her speed was down, but she was hitting her spots and we have a pretty good defense behind us. She can make her pitches and we can make the plays."

The Bulldogs took control in the fourth inning as Keyara Morgan and Mercedeze LeMaster each had an RBI single to make it 2-1, and then Claysburg scored four runs in the sixth inning to pull away. Hannah Claycomb, Madison Ickes and Abigayle Kulick each had an RBI single during the big inning.

Iroquois returns its entire team next season with experience from a District 10 Class A championship run and an appearance in the PIAA quarterfinals.

"We had a real exciting year and the girls brought a lot of pride to the community," Parker said. "I told them they should be proud of themselves and now we know what we are building from. There weren't a lot of teary eyes, but it still stings. Now, we are building from this point next year."

TOM REISENWEBER can be reached at 870-1707 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNreisenweber. Read the Varsity blog at GoErie.com/blogs/varsity.